Committee Members
Peter Carter
Chair
Dugald Walker
Bede Burke
Alix Turner
David Cameron
Jock Munro
Kevin Malone
James Jackson|

NSW Farmers'
Association Staff
E nswfarmers@
nswfarmers.org.au

P 02 8251 1700
F 02 8251 1750

Member Service
Centre
1300 794 000

Exotic Disease, Quarantine, Plant & Animal Health

The Exotic Disease, Quarantine, Plant and Animal Health Committee originated in response to a proposal to import FMD vaccine in the 1980s. Since then, it has expanded its charter (reflected in its name) to issues of quarantine and health which now include plants and has the potential to deal with emergency and non emergency diseases and insect/pest incursions rather than simply exotic disease. This in part mirrors the current approach to disease management by authorities which classifies operations in terms of emergency and non emergency diseases.

The committee’s objective is to provide advice to Executive Council on the committees brief of exotic disease, quarantine and plant and animal health issues. This brief focuses on:

• preserving Australia’s plant and animal disease status; and
• minimising the social impacts from emergency and endemic diseases on Association’s members.

The membership of the committee will include representatives from extensive and intensive agriculture. The following commodities will be represented:- sheep, cattle, pork, poultry, horticulture and grains. Executive Council will also be represented by an independent member. The commodity representation can be changed by Executive Council.

The committee will report on and provide advice to Executive Council on:

• Monitor exotic/endemic/emergency plant and animal disease issues relevant to the Association’s members
• Inform other Association committees of relevant issues
• Inform Association members of relevant issues through section managers
• Lobby governments
• Maintain links with relevant government organisations
• Maintain links with relevant state and national farming organisations

 Priority Issues

The Exotic Disease Quaratine Plant & Animal Health Committee priorities are:

1. Strengthening the capacity of Australia's quarantine system
2. Watching the brief on draft IRA's (Import Risk Analyses)
3. Watching the brief on NSW disease surveillance capacity